The Miami County Sheriff's Office will be deploying additional deputies for the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays for a combined 150 hours of overtime which commenced earlier this month and will conclude in January, 2018. The additional deputies will be targeting high crash roadways and roadways that have high rates of O.V.I. arrests. The deputies will be strictly enforcing all of Ohio's traffic statutes with a zero tolerance for violators. A primary goal will be to remove alcohol and drug impaired drivers from county roadways. There is usually an increase in alcohol consumption over the holidays which combined with driving can be deadly. Deputies are hoping to curb auto crashes with the deployment of extra deputies on various days and at various time frames throughout the holiday season. If one chooses to drink this holiday season please have a designated driver.

The extra traffic enforcement effort is being made possible through a grant the Sheriff's Office received this year from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. The grant funds the overtime for the deputies and pays some fuel costs. This marks the thirteenth consecutive year the Sheriff's Office has been awarded the grant which is funded by federal dollars and administered by the State. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov/impaired. I and the entire Sheriff's Office staff wish all county residents a safe and Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.